AC Milan Leads Italian Clubs with Most Players Advancing to the 2026 World Cup Knockout Stage

The group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has concluded, with 32 national teams progressing to the inaugural knockout round under the tournament's expanded format. Italian clubs continue to have a strong presence, as players from 19 Serie A and Serie B teams remain in contention for the title.

AC Milan stands out as the Italian club with the highest number of representatives in the knockout phase, contributing 10 players to their respective national teams. The list includes stars such as Mike Maignan and Adrien Rabiot for France, Rafael Leão for Portugal, Christian Pulisic for the United States, Luka Modrić for Croatia, Santiago Giménez for Mexico, Pervis Estupiñán for Ecuador, Alexis Saelemaekers and Koni De Winter for Belgium, and Ardon Jashari for Switzerland.

Atalanta ranks second with eight players still competing in the tournament. Among its representatives are Brazilian midfielder Ederson, Belgian attacker Charles De Ketelaere, and Dutch midfielder Marten de Roon, highlighting the club's growing international influence.

Inter Milan follows closely with six players advancing to the knockout rounds. Its contingent features Marcus Thuram, Denzel Dumfries, Lautaro Martínez, Petar Sučić, Ange-Yoan Bonny, and Manuel Akanji, reflecting the depth of talent within the club's squad.

Juventus has five players remaining in the competition, while Roma, Como, Bologna, and Sassuolo each have four representatives. Napoli has the smallest group among the leading clubs, with only Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku still competing as Belgium continues its World Cup campaign.